Water cooled horticultural growing light

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates, in general, to an water cooled horticultural growing light and a method of using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a water cooled horticultural growing light and method wherein water flows through outer glass tubes to cool the light source which sits inside an inner chamber of the invention. This invention allows for the light source to be placed in close proximity to the plants. This invention can be used in nurseries and other growing facilities to increase productivity by allowing plants to receive increased solar rays without the damaging effects of heat.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to provisional application No.60/823,288 entitled WATER COOLED HORTICULTURAL GROWING LIGHT, filed onAug. 23, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a water cooledhorticultural growing light and a method of using the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Horticultural growing lights have been used for centuries. One drawbackof these lights has been that they produce excessive heat and must bepositioned distances away from the plants due to the heat which isproduced. If one of these lights is placed too close to the plants itmay burn leaves or harm the plant.

There are other horticultural growing lights which have beenmanufactured in such fashions to reduce the amount of heat production.These previous horticultural growing lights have many drawbacks. Onemajor drawback of these lights is that they are manufactured fromplastic, thus cannot maintain 1000 watt bulbs, and crack after periodsof time due to the excessive exposure of heat and UV rays. An additionaldrawback of previous water-cooled lights was the fact that they werehuge, heavy and difficult to handle. These lights constantly leaked andwere difficult to take apart for cleaning. These lights were notdurable. They were prone to cracking and meltdown, breaking and veryexpensive to manufacture. The current invention has overcome thesedrawbacks.

There is, thus, a need for a horticultural growing light which generatesmaximum light, can maintain a 1000 watt or greater capacity bulb, andcan be placed in close proximity to plants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an aspect of the invention involves a method formanufacturing a horticultural growing light which is water cooled. Themethod includes providing two cylindrical pyrex glass tubes. These tubesare heat resistant and not affected by UV. One tube is placed inside ofthe other, the interior tube houses a light bulb. Water flows betweenthe two tubes and is pumped into one end of the space between theinterior and exterior tube and comes out of the other end of the spacebetween the interior and exterior tube. An air gap exists between thebulb and the wall of the interior tube allowing maximum thermaltransfer. The water which runs through the exterior tube absorbs theheat from the light thus allowing the outside of the exterior tube to becool to the touch. The water which flows into this apparatus can beobtained from a reservoir, a swimming pool a lake, stream or any otherwater source. The water then flows through the tube and is heated in theprocess. The heated water then exits the tube at the opposite end fromits entrance and is placed back into the reservoir where the water isthen cooled. The light bulbs which can be used in this apparatus arestandard high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps which can vary in size andinclude 250, 400, 600, 750, 1000 and greater watt lamps.

Water-cooled lights offer many advantages such as:

-   -   (1) greater productivity at all times in a proper built growing        chamber;    -   (2) increased efficiency of CO2 enhanced operations;    -   (3) reduced volume of ventilation, which maintains desired air        composition;    -   (4) enables year-round operation during any weather conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the objects, advantages,and principles of the invention. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking up from the bottom of an embodimentof an water cooled horticultural light;

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of the tubes and end plates of the watercooled horticultural growing light shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the inside facing side of the end plate whichhas the electrical and intake water tube connections of the growinglight shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an outside facing side of the end plate which has the exitwater tube connection;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tubes and end plates with on endplate removed of a growing light shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

After reading this description it will become apparent to one skilled inthe art how to implement the invention in various alternativeembodiments and alternative applications. However, all the variousembodiments of the present invention will be described herein, it isunderstood that these embodiments are presented by way of an exampleonly, and not limitation. As such, this detailed description of variousalternative embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope orbreadth of the present invention as set forth below.

With reference to FIG. 1 a water cooled growing light 100 is shown anddisplayed. This light 100 is composed of two glass tubes an interior andexterior tube, two end plates on either end, two compression rods and alight source. Each end plate is configured with a connection for a hose,the one end plate is further configured with a bracket to holdelectrical socket. The interior tube FIG. 2 (210) which has a smallercircumference than the exterior tube, is placed inside the exterior tubeFIG. 2220 and each tube is the same length. The end plates 120 and 130are fitted onto the ends of the tubes. The end plates each contain aconnector bracket 122 which has holes for hooks so that the same may behung or mounted to either a ceiling or a wall either vertically orhorizontally. A standard light hood can be attached to the connectorbrackets 122 to direct the light toward the plants. In an alternateembodiment this light comes equipped with an interior light reflectorwhich fits inside the inner tube and is constructed of a metalsubstance. A light bulb or other light source 170 is inserted into theinner tube 210. This light source 170 connects to a prepurchased allsystem socket 180 which feeds through the end plate 120 at one end ofthe tubes. The socket is bracketed onto a metal plate 185 (the bracket)on the outside surface of the intake end plate 120. An intake water tube150 connects to the connector on the outside surface of intake endplate120.

The inside surface of each end plate have two circular channels FIG. 5(190 and 195) into which the glass tubes fit. The inner tube 210 insertsinto the interior channel 190 which circles the entire circumference onthe inside surface of each end plate. The inner tube 210 is insertedinto the inside of the outer tube 220. The outer tube 220 fits into theouter channel 195 which circles the entire circumference on the insidesurface of each end plate. Two metal compression rods 140 are installedto secure the end plates 120 and 130 and the tubes 210 and 220. Themetal compression rods 140 are fed through a hole in the intake endplate 120 and through a hole in the output end plate 130. Either end ofthese metal compressor rods 140 is threaded. A nut 145 twists on to eachend of the rod 140 on the exterior surface of each end plate 120 and130. Twisting the nuts on either end of the rod press the end plates 120and 130 into the glass tubes 210 and 220 and hold the water cooledgrowing light together. The connection between the tubes and the endplates are water tight, a custom made square o-ring 240 fits in eachchannel 190 and 195 of the inside surface of the end plates 120 and 130to seal the connection with the ends of the glass tubes 210 and 220.

There are hose connections on each end plate 120 and 130 which feed intothe space between the inner and the outer tube 210 and 220. An inputhose 150 is threaded onto one end plate, while an output hose 160 isthreaded onto the opposite end plate. Water is passed by the input hose150 into the space between the interior glass tube 210 and exteriorglass tube 220. This water passes through the growing light and the heatfrom the light source is thermally absorbed by the water. The water thenpasses out the opposite end of the tube through the output hose 160. Thewater that exits the growing light passes back into a water chamberwhere it is cooled by mixing with existing water or by a cooling sourcebefore entering back into the water cooled growing light. In the centerthe bulb or other light source 170 is shielded from the water by the airspace which exists between the bulb 170 and the interior face of theinner glass tube 210. The exterior of the water cooled light 100 is coolto the touch due to the fact that the water is passing between the lightand exterior of the tube which cools the growing light and causes theexterior not to exude heat. The coolness of this light allows it to beplaced closer to plants thus increasing the potential growth andproductivity of the plants.

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of the inner and outer glass tubes 210and 220 and the end plates 120 and 130 of the water cooled horticulturalgrowing light. In this diagram it can be seen that the connection to thelight bulb occurs through the right hand input end plate 120. The inputwater tube 150 connects on the right hand side of FIG. 2 and passeswater into the interior space between the inner 210 and the outer glasstubes 220. This water exits the output hose 160 shown on the left handside. The glass tubes are securely fitted in the channels in either endplate with custom o-rings 240. The end plates are pressed into the glasstubes holding the growing light together by the metal compression rods140 that are displayed on the top and the bottom with the nuts 145 arefed on either end of the compression rods 140.

FIG. 3 shows the interior end plate 120 which has the opening for thelight and all system socket 180 to pass through. This endplate also hasa hole 125 between the two channels where the hose connector attaches tothe exterior surface. This hole through entire plate allows the water topass into the space between the two tubes. Both end plates have twochannels 190 and 195, one to hold the inner tube 210 and one to hold theexterior tube 220. The channels are clearly shown in FIG. 3. The twoholes for the compression rods 140 are shown at the top and the bottomof this end plate.

FIG. 4 is the output end 130 plate for the light 100 where the outputhose connects to expel the heated water. As can be seen from FIG. 4, theexterior face of this end plate is solid with no channels. On theexterior face there is a connection for the output water tube 160 andtwo holes on opposite sides of the plate for the compression rods 140 topass through.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tubes 210 and 220 and end plates 120and 130 with on end plate removed. This Figure shows how the two glasstubes fit snuggly into the two channels 190 and 195 on either end of theend plates. This Figure further shows the two holes 148 on each endplate which line up with one another so that the compression rods 140can be fed through to the hold the fixture together by tightening thenuts 145. Lastly, FIG. 5 shows the holes 125 on either end plate wherethe water enters the interior space between the two tubes and the waterexits the interior space between the two tubes on the opposite end.

The water cooled growing light 100 creates a method for cooling a lightsource so that heat is not exuded from a light placed close to plants.The method by which this is done is water is taken from a hose outlet orother water source and run through an input hose 150 into a spacebetween the interior and exterior tube of the light 100. The water flowsthrough the interior space and absorbs heat from the light source 170 soit is not transferred to the exterior tube 220 which is closer to theplants. The water runs between the inner 210 and outer 220 glass tubesand flows out of the output hose 160. This water is then dumped into adrain, lake, stream or other body of water. In other embodiments of thisinvention the water can be taken from the same lake, stream or otherwater source and run through the light tubes and exuded back into thewater source. The water source needs to be large enough so that thewater has time to cool before it is repumped through the light. In apreferred embodiment the water flows at a rate of 3 to 30 gallons perminute through the growing light 100. If the user is utilizing a setbody of water for the feed and output of the water this water bodyshould contain at least 50 gallons of water, in the alternative if thewater has a cooling system then the body can be as small as 10 gallons,to allow sufficient time for the water to cool before it is passedthrough the light.

The above description of disclosed embodiments is provided to enable anyperson skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Variousmodifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art, the generic principals defined herein can be appliedto other embodiments without departing from spirit or scope of theinvention. Thus, the invention is not intended to be limited to theembodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scopeconsistent with the principals and novel features disclosed herein.

1. A water cooled growing light comprising: two glass tubes including aninterior and exterior tube both with the same length, the interior tubewith a smaller circumference enabling it to be placed inside theexterior tube; one or more light sources; two end plates containing twochannels on each of their interior surfaces enabling them to be fittedto the ends of the glass tubes, hose connections on the exterior surfaceof each end plate with a hole passing all the way through the end plate,one end plate configured to hold an electrical socket; four or moresquare o-rings configured to fit in the channels of the end plates; andtwo or more compressor rods configured to pass through both end platesand be secured by nuts on the outside of the end plates.
 2. A watercooled growing light of claim 1, wherein a standard hose can beconnected to the hose connections.
 3. A water cooled growing light ofclaim 1, wherein the end plates contain connector brackets containingholes for hooks.
 4. A water cooled growing light of claim 3 which isconfigured to accept standard light hoods.
 5. A water cooled growinglight of claim 1, including an all system socket fed through the endplate.
 6. A water cooled growing light of claim 1, including a reflectorshield which fits inside the interior glass tube.
 7. A water cooledgrowing light of claim 1, wherein the glass tube is made of Pyrex.
 8. Ahorticultural growing light comprising: two or more glass tubes with atleast one interior tube and at least one exterior tube, the interiortubes having a smaller circumference than the next exterior tubeenabling the interior tube to be placed inside the exterior tubes; oneor more light sources inside the inner most glass tube; two end platescontaining channels on each of their interior surfaces enabling them tobe fitted to the ends of the glass tubes, water connections on theexterior surface of each end plate with a hole passing all the waythrough the end plate allowing the water to enter the space between theinner most glass tube and the exterior glass tube, and at least one endplate configured to hold an electrical socket.
 9. A horticulturalgrowing light of claim 8, wherein a standard hose can be connected tothe end plates.
 10. A horticultural growing light of claim 8, whereinthe end plates contain connector brackets containing holes for hooks.11. A horticultural growing light of claim 8 which is configured toaccept standard light hoods.
 12. A horticultural growing light of claim8, including a bracket for an all system socket fed through one endplate.
 13. A horticultural growing light of claim 8, including areflector shield which fits inside the inner most glass tube.